Project History

History of the Dig Site

In the preface of the first publication on the site of Abila in 1889, Guy Le Strange says of Abila, "The ruins were evidently of very considerable extent, and show the remains of buildings that must have boasted originally no inconsiderable architectural splendor." This is an accurate depiction of one of the most splendid sites in northern Jordan. Abila of the Decapolis is rich with archaeological history. The site boasts a saga that reaches back to a time before Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But its visible remains, to which Guy Le Strange referred to, give testimony to a glorious time when Abila reached its zenith in culture, economy, and politics. This was the Abila of the Roman and Byzantine periods.